Pet Squares #4 (Little Deuce Coupe) is now up!

[adamghost]

Hi all...the new episode of PET SQUARES, covering the "Little Deuce Coupe" album, is now up. This is the best one yet, and some interesting possibilities hidden in the grooves (did Mike sing falsetto on this record? Just maybe...). When you're ready take a break from FEEL FLOWS and come hang out with me for 40 minutes as we kick around this album.

https://youtu.be/CRQAy10qBUE

[Rocker]

I was looking forward to this one. Thank you!
As mentioned before, I think despite the use of the "older" songs, this is quite a strong album and - like most of the pre-Today records - very overlooked. The guys all sound much more confident than even on "Surfer Girl" imo.
Scott Totten sings "Ballad of ol' Betsy" (or 'BooB' as no one calls it) during Mike & Bruce shows and also did it on the Beach Boys tour in 2012. He does a very beautiful job and I wonder if he knows this '66 cover by The Sugar Beats because the lead singer sounds so much like Scott (or the other way around) to my ears.
And btw IIRC Totten once mentioned on the Beach Boys Britain Board that he suggested to Mike a couple of times putting "Custom Machine" in the set but that Mike for some reason didn't want to do that song.

[adamghost]

Oh I didn't realize Betsy had been covered! That would have been good to throw in there. Nice one!

Now if Petula Clark had done it in French, you'd have a guaranteed hit.

[Rocker]

Say Adam, do you also hear some "strange" sound in the vocal blend on "Be true to your School" (album version)? Like a voice that - usually - doesn't belong there? I thought, without having a good enough ear to pick anything specific out, it may be David singing or Marylin. You mentioned Audree possibly being on "Ballad of ol' Betsy", so that would be another idea. Now, I don't know if anyone else besides the Boys actually is on it, but something sounds very different to my ears.

I like the album version much better. The single recording may be a better producton and I can appreciate the idea but it just sounds wrong to me. The live version from Sacramento is great though. Carl's fantastic guitar solo and the way the Boys imitate the cheerleaders make it a highlight of the show. What a cool band!

[adamghost]

I didn't, but I can't notice everything obviously. There was one other place on the album where I thought I heard an odd voice and found myself wondering if it was either Audree or the "Mike Love falsetto" but it was just a snippet. It was enough to make me think possibly there was a different vocal configuration on an early pass of some songs that they later wiped. But I can't remember where it was or the circumstances.

There's been some speculation about David singing here and there, but I'm of the opinion that while it likely happened (Dave himself told me as much), I doubt he ever did a free-standing vocal part as opposed to doubling someone that's probably standing next to him. It's a more complicated skill set he probably didn't reliably have at that point, and more importantly, it would have slowed down the session to try it. Time was of the essence at all these early sessions, if you're going to try to throw someone who might not be able to hold down their note into that situation you're asking for trouble. Much better to find a ringer, and in this kind of situation, Audree or Murry would make sense. They both certainly could hold down a part, and they'd both probably be sitting in the booth.

[phirnis]

I'm a big fan of "Cherry Cherry Coupe", it's so catchy. Love Mike's singing part underneath the chorus.

[Rocker]

I didn't, but I can't notice everything obviously. There was one other place on the album where I thought I heard an odd voice and found myself wondering if it was either Audree or the "Mike Love falsetto" but it was just a snippet. It was enough to make me think possibly there was a different vocal configuration on an early pass of some songs that they later wiped. But I can't remember where it was or the circumstances.

There's been some speculation about David singing here and there, but I'm of the opinion that while it likely happened (Dave himself told me as much), I doubt he ever did a free-standing vocal part as opposed to doubling someone that's probably standing next to him. It's a more complicated skill set he probably didn't reliably have at that point, and more importantly, it would have slowed down the session to try it. Time was of the essence at all these early sessions, if you're going to try to throw someone who might not be able to hold down their note into that situation you're asking for trouble. Much better to find a ringer, and in this kind of situation, Audree or Murry would make sense. They both certainly could hold down a part, and they'd both probably be sitting in the booth.

Thanks! As I said, I don't even know if there's really anyone else on the song besides the Boys. Maybe someone just changed his voice as to get that outcome. It would be charmig though to think of Murry singing "rah-rah-rah-rah-sis-boom-bah" under Brian's direction 
As it is, I would guess that it's Marylin or Audree on "Be true to your School".

I'm a big fan of "Cherry Cherry Coupe", it's so catchy. Love Mike's singing part underneath the chorus.

Yes, absolutely magical.